


The Best Ones

by Sineala



Category: Frontier Wolf - Rosemary Sutcliff
Genre: Conduit Fic, First Time, M/M, Multi, Post-Canon, Prostitution, Threesome - F/M/M, Virginity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-23
Updated: 2012-05-23
Packaged: 2017-11-05 20:59:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/410960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sineala/pseuds/Sineala
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Hilarion discovers that Alexios is a virgin, he decides to help relieve his friend of this burden in a time-honored manner: a trip to one of the local prostitutes. Events do not exactly go as planned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Best Ones

**Author's Note:**

> This was the first Frontier Wolf story I wrote, about a day after I read the book, and I am only now sufficiently less ashamed to even consider posting it. Hopefully next I can manage to write something that does justice to the amazingness that is canon. But first I brought porn.

"What do you mean, you haven't?" asked Hilarion, laughing.

He was always laughing, and they were both drunk now, so Alexios gritted his teeth and tried not to mind it. It was not the worst thing his friend had ever said. At least Hilarion had bought him good wine, the best to be found here in Onnum, and they'd toasted their future commanding the Attacotti together for hours. And then Alexios had, quite unwisely, let it slip.

"As I said," he repeated. "I haven't. Not with anyone."

He hoped Hilarion would not press him further, for he did not exactly have a good excuse. He only... never wanted to. Before Abusina, he had strived to be a good soldier, and not to fritter his pay away on drink or dicing or the women of the garrison-town. After Abusina, there had been nothing but his disgrace for a long while, burning out all desire, carnal or otherwise. And now, after Cunorix-- _Cunorix_ \-- after everything, he was only now remembering how to feel anything other than bitter grief. 

Besides, whatever lust was that drove men to these measures, to spending their nights and coin in the women's huts, he was not entirely certain he had it in him. How would he know? How would he know at all what it was like to want another person in that manner? Surely the feeling, if it appeared to him, would be unmistakable. He did not think it had.

Most of the Frontier Wolves hardly engaged in wenching, after all, and so perhaps it was meet that he did not either. Perhaps they fought the better for it. Perhaps it might even be more noble, as those celibate Christians believed, to go without women.

This did not seem to be an opinion Hilarion shared, for he was still staring, eyes widening, incredulous and bright. "Come, now! Never? Truly?"

Alexios nodded and drank deeply of the wine, hiding himself in it. He did not want Hilarion of all people to think poorly of him, and it seemed that, in this respect, his friend might.

"But you still--" Hilarion paused and made a very evocative, illustrative gesture at his waist-- "I mean, surely you've--"

He felt his face grow uncomfortably warm, watching Hilarion, and worse, he was certain it was not on account of the wine. Something within him twisted strangely and tightened at the thought of Hilarion-- but then the thought eluded him, unfinished.

"I'm not a _eunuch_ ," Alexios interrupted, exasperated. "Of course I've done that." Not often, and certainly not recently, but Hilarion, thankfully, hadn't asked that. It was a need like any other, and when he took himself in hand he closed his eyes and tried to think of nothing, nothing at all. "Just not-- not with another."

But Hilarion was still grinning at him and shaking his head in mock-sadness. "Oh, my poor dear Alexios!" he said, laughing. "No, this will not stand at all! I know just the woman for you! Come on. It will be my present to you, on the occasion of our new posting."

"You already got me the wine," Alexios mumbled, but he let Hilarion wrap a lanky arm around him and pull him to his feet.

He would much rather have had Hilarion's friendly embrace, warm and generous, given unstintingly these days, than the caresses of a woman paid to do so, no matter how much more arousing the one would be than the other. But he could not very well express that to Hilarion, nor to anyone; his thoughts were confused things that could not quite coalesce into words. 

Perhaps it would be a relief to have this finally over with, Alexios thought, trying to brighten his own spirits, so that now he could say he'd been with a woman and no one would ever have occasion to tease him about it again. It would at least make Hilarion happy, and it would be poor manners indeed for Alexios to refuse a gift.

Hilarion kept his arm about Alexios as they walked down into Onnum's garrison-town, into the oncoming dusk. Alexios leaned into him as the cold winter wind whipped past their cloaks, and he was grateful and nervous both.

It would be easy, he told himself. How difficult could it be?

* * *

Hilarion led him with ease through the twisting, narrow paths until they stopped outside a crude wattle-and-daub hut, a fair distance from the fort itself. There were no markings anywhere on the outside to indicate the sort of building it was, but Alexios trusted it was the right place. Hilarion had clearly been here before, at any rate.

"Her name's Lucinna," said Hilarion, grinning and raising his eyebrows as if passing on some grand secret. "She's pretty. You'll like her. It will be excellent; you'll see."

He called out, and after a short while a slender figure, hooded and cloaked against the cold, emerged, standing in the doorway. Alexios stepped back, suddenly not wanting to overhear anything of the conversation, even though it concerned him. Let them haggle. He would do what he-- what he had to.

There was a jingle of coin, and then Hilarion beckoned him forward. "She's all yours," he said, and the laughter was still in his eyes, sparkling now with cleverness, with a growing anticipation. "I'm having a turn after, if that's all right with you?"

"Oh, of course," Alexios said, even though now it would be even worse, with Hilarion there waiting for him to finish. Would he listen? Would he watch? The same strange feeling twisted in Alexios again, the thing he couldn't name.

Hilarion only laughed again and put a hand between Alexios' shoulder blades, shoving him forward, practically into the woman. "You go on, then," he said, smiling. "I'll wait here. And, Lucinna--" this was directed to the woman-- "he's never been with a woman, so treat him well, eh? He shouldn't take long!" He gave another laugh, more raucous this time.

"This way, please." Lucinna's voice was gentle, melodious, the sort of sweet tones that Alexios thought lonely soldiers would compose poetry to. He was not sure if it moved him. He was not sure of anything.

Lucinna reached out, her hand warm and soft in his, and she pulled him into her home. The last thing he saw was Hilarion's grinning face as he turned to put his back to the doorway, akin to a sentry at his post, though a very strange post it was.

* * *

The inside of the hut was dim, lit by a small, smoky fire that did little to reduce the chill in the air. He could not make out much of the hut's interior; a few threadbare tapestries hung on the walls, with the woman's meager possessions stacked on the far side. The closest thing to him, between him and the fire, was a low bed, piled high with furs. Alexios supposed it was the one important thing, for his purposes.

Lucinna folded back the hood of her cloak, and Alexios saw that Hilarion had been right: she was very pretty, with light eyes and long reddish hair, and she smiled a little at him as she saw him watching her.

"I'm Alexios," he said, awkwardly, forcing the words past his suddenly-dry throat. He was not sure what one said, what one did. "Forgive me, I don't exactly know what to do."

She smiled again. "You don't need to know anything, Alexios," she said, in the same soft voice. "Only do what feels right." 

_What does Hilarion do with you?_ he wondered, suddenly, but thankfully was not quite drunk enough to say. _Is he gentle with you? Or does he take you hard? How does his body look to you? Does he give you pleasure?_

Alexios swallowed and tried to drive the thoughts from his mind; there should have been no reason to think of Hilarion now, of all the times. "How will I know what that is?"

"Well--" she seemed to think about it a little, and gave him another encouraging smile-- "We will find out. Here, come lie down with me."

So he let her lead him to the bed and pull him down to the furs. Lucinna leaned toward him, and their mouths met, once, twice. She smelled of perfumes and tasted strange to him; Alexios was not quite sure he liked this kissing business. Oh, it was well enough -- it was not unpleasant, certainly -- but there was nothing special in it, not like the poets had always made it sound. Perhaps he was doing it wrong.

"Lucinna?" He pulled his head away, and she stopped. "Maybe if we could-- you could-- ah, your clothing?" He tripped nervously through the sentence and cursed himself for his clumsiness. Perhaps everyone was this awkward, their first time. At least, he hoped, she would hardly go around speaking poorly of him.

She seemed to understand him anyway, for she nodded and smiled. It was warm enough, here by the fire, and she quickly had her clothing, a thing like a long tunic, off over her head. She was underfed, a little too thin, but nonetheless not unappealing. She was hardly misshapen or ugly, of course, and he felt a little spark of _something_ pass through him, but then quickly vanish.

As Alexios reached out a shaking, tentative hand, she grinned. "You may touch me anywhere you like."

He laid a hand on the soft skin of her breast, carefully, stroking along and under the curve of it, and she shuddered a little, making a quiet noise in her throat. He felt the same tiny spark of -- interest? curiosity? -- flare up again. Was this desire?

"You are as pretty as he said you were," Alexios told her, honestly.

She smiled wide enough to dimple her face. "Your friend is a flatterer, that one."

Did Hilarion whisper sweet words in her ear? Did he cry out obscene and vulgar encouragements? Did he-- why was he even thinking about this?

"My clothing," said Alexios, and he cringed as the words sounded brusque. But if he could only do this, only get it over with-- and the sooner he did he would stop thinking these strange things about his friend, and his life would return to normal.

Lucinna, clearly having had some experience with the dress of soldiers, had him out of his tunic quickly, with only a little awkwardness with the sling. Her hand lingered over the fastenings of his breeches, warm, caressing him a little, and-- nothing. He was hardly aroused at all. That much was plain to both of them. Perhaps it was the drink, he thought, miserably. That at least would be a reason anyone could understand. But he knew he had not had quite that much wine.

"Sometimes this happens," Lucinna told him, her voice low and encouraging. She did not seem to take offense. "Especially if you are nervous. Many men are, the first time. Don't worry; we'll have you all ready soon enough."

It was only worse when they got his breeches off. Alexios stared down himself, accusingly. All the times when arousal had come, unbidden, inconvenient, and now he could not, not when he wanted it? "I'm sorry," he said, consumed now by his own embarrassment. Did she think he had been lying when he called her pretty, if he could not prove it to her? "I'm sorry, it won't--"

"It's all right," Lucinna said, and reached for him with a practiced hand.

But this, too, did no good. Oh, for a little, at the beginning, his cock twitched in her grip, started to harden, but it quickly faded and disappeared as she went on. Her hands were smooth and soft as she stroked him, gently, from base to tip, as she ran her free hand over his thighs, down his legs, lightly across his balls. It was all very nice, but none of it, none of it was good enough.

"I'm sorry," Alexios said, for what felt like the thousandth time, after she had been going for only the gods knew how long.

She smiled again; he supposed it was better business for her if she did. "Would you like to try a little, yourself? Perhaps it would help."

He took himself in hand, angry now, and squeezed with a heavy, rough pressure, pumping uselessly, willing his body to obey him. He had to do this. He had to. It wasn't working. Nothing was working. He was never going to be with a woman, it seemed, and Hilarion had arranged this for him, to be kind to him, and now Hilarion was outside waiting in the cold, probably wondering what was taking him so long, probably thinking about him right now--

His cock twitched again in his hand, and deep within him a warm, pleasant feeling twined with the shame. Why was he doing this? He had never thought of anything before. There was no reason in all the world that he should like to touch himself and think of Hilarion--

Confused, afraid, he dropped his hand and his erection ebbed away.

"I can't," he said, finally, dejected. "It's not going to happen. You might as well bring Hilarion in. Let him have his turn."

Hilarion would know he'd failed, but there was no way to avoid that, not now. This was going to make matters awkward in the morning. They needed to rely on each other to command, but now, now, he was sure tomorrow at morning-muster his senior centenarius would be thinking, _Ah, there's my commander, no kind of man, can't even get it up for a woman._ And how could you rely on someone who knew you were a failure, who knew in truth you were not a real man?

Lucinna sat back on her heels and called out. "Hilarion? Your friend here's done; he says you can come in."

Alexios had the presence of mind, barely, to pull the furs up over his shame as Hilarion stepped inside.

Hilarion looked around the hut, grinning broadly. He took off his cloak, and as he did, Alexios couldn't stop staring. Through the tight breeches, it was plain to see that Hilarion was hard. He would have no problem satisfying Lucinna, Alexios thought enviously. Once she undressed him, his cock would stand proud, and he might touch himself a little more, might ready himself, and he would cry out in pleasure as he thrust deep into her--

Why was he thinking about his friend so? Alexios' face grew even warmer in shame, and he quickly looked away. Perhaps he could just dress and leave; perhaps Hilarion would not want to talk to him--

"How was your first time, eh?" Hilarion asked, laughing, coming toward him, even as Alexios, miserable, tried to move away so that Hilarion would not see him, so that he would not find out. "Is Lucinna not exquisite? Is she not-- oh." And quite suddenly, he stopped talking.

He had seen Alexios' face, then.

He knew. 

Alexios steeled himself for the quips, for the jests that were undoubtedly to follow, even as he knew he could not handle hearing them.

"Hilarion, so help me," Alexios started, desperately trying to hold back the hot tears that were beginning to prick at his eyes, "if you tell anyone, anyone at all about this--"

But Hilarion wasn't laughing, and on his face was an expression that Alexios had never, ever seen. It was a strange kind of gentleness, akin to the way he had looked not too long ago when Alexios was recovering and Hilarion had held him in his arms, had fed him with his own hands. There was something else mixed in with the kindness, too, something hopeful and new and bright.

"Ah, Alexios," he said softly, and there was no censure in his tone. Likely he knew Alexios could not have borne the merest scrap of it. "I only meant for you to have a pleasant time, but you haven't, have you?"

As he knelt down next to him, Alexios shook his head, wretchedly. "I'm afraid not," he said. "But it was good of you to want to please me."

It was only Hilarion, he realized, Hilarion who had seen him at his worst and had not turned from him. After what they had been through together, this was nothing in comparison.

Hilarion put a hand on Alexios' shoulder, and his touch on Alexios' bare skin went through him like fire, like lightning, like branding. A queer hot feeling stirred within him, and suddenly he was feeling everything too much, sensing everything, all of it _good_ in a bizarre way he could scarcely bear. Hilarion's hand still rested on his arm, and he squirmed against the furs under him, and now, now of all times, he was growing hard again, when he should not, not now--

And Hilarion was still aroused, too. Alexios could smell it on him; why could he smell it on him? Hilarion's pale eyes were wide in the darkness, and he bit his lip.

"I could--" Hilarion started, more nervous than Alexios had ever seen him, and then stopped, and then started again. "I could help. If you wanted."

_Yes_ , the new feeling inside Alexios said, and _please_ and _now_ and _touch me_ , and he was burning, he was dying, he would die if Hilarion didn't touch him.

A great many things became clear to Alexios very, very suddenly. If this was desire, the feeling that drove men mad, mindless, he could see why. It was vast, overwhelming, like struggling against a current. How could he have missed this? Did Hilarion feel this for him?

"Hilarion," he said, for that was all he could manage, and reached for him desperately.

And Hilarion leaned in and kissed him. It was strange to be kissing him, even though at least his smell was comforting and familiar. It was not like Lucinna's kiss. This, he could tell, had real feeling behind it, a yearning hunger, as though Hilarion had saved up the kiss for a year, waiting, letting it build in him like the tension of a drawn bow, and now let it loose upon him with the last arrow of his quiver, his only chance for a true shot.

He was still not certain it was his favorite thing, but he liked this kiss better, and he did not think Hilarion minded how clumsily Alexios clung to him, which he did as best he could with his arm still injured; if anything Hilarion only grabbed him more tightly and moaned a little and, oh, _that_ was an excellent sound.

They broke apart, staring at each other. Hilarion was breathing fast and ragged, and his smile was wide and white in the dark.

"How long have you wanted to do that?"

"Kissing?" Hilarion chuckled. "Since I was, oh, thirteen or so. Why do you ask?"

Alexios tried glaring at him, but found after a short while that he was fighting back laughter. "You know what I meant."

"A while," replied Hilarion, sounding thoughtful, and there was that strange look in his eyes again.

Before Alexios could say anything in return, there came a quiet sound, halfway between a laugh and a discreet cough, from the other side of the hut; he belatedly recalled that Lucinna was still here.

"Not that I mind watching the two of you," she put in, sounding amused, "but you did pay, and I was only wondering if you were still wanting me."

Hilarion looked back and grinned, and Alexios could see the lust still writ across his face; for him the answer was obviously yes. He liked that look on Hilarion's face, he thought. And then another thought came, newer, more wanton: he would like watching Hilarion take his pleasure, too.

"What do you say?" he asked Alexios. "If you would rather not, there is no shame in that. I do not mean to force you." He spread his hands apart a little, a kind of welcome, and smiled. "You can still have me, after, if you like."

Alexios lifted his head and focused on Lucinna, and he was entirely changed. The nerve-wracking fear was gone from him, and he understood now, he understood the feeling that had been absent from him earlier, the strange feeling that made this all possible. Lucinna stood not too far away, one hand on her hip, still nude, and Alexios could only stare at her, at the perfect curve of her breasts, at the long smooth line of her legs, at the triangle of darker hair just between them. He swallowed as a warm, delicious heat rose in him. Yes, he did want Lucinna. And it would be all right, with Hilarion here. Hilarion knew what to do. Hilarion would not guide him wrong.

Lucinna's laughter rang out like the peal of bells. "That looks like a yes to me, Hilarion."

He did not know what expression was on his own face, but he saw that Hilarion was watching him, intently, seemingly enthralled by whatever he saw on it.

"Yes," said Alexios, as boldly as he could, but the apprehension came up again, though not quite as sharply as before. "I would enjoy that. Only I don't know what to do," he added. 

"We can show you." Hilarion patted his hand once in reassurance, and then stood, making his way toward Lucinna. "I would be happy to, and Lucinna, you do not mind, do you?"

She smiled again. "Certainly not. You've always treated me well."

As Alexios watched, Hilarion stepped toward her and reached out to rest his long arms across her shoulders, holding her loosely. He waited for them to kiss, to embrace, to ignore him, but Hilarion turned his head back to Alexios, grinning. "Usually people like to start with some kissing, some touching. I do, at least."

"Most of the time," Lucinna said, correcting him, and it made Hilarion laugh. "Or have you forgotten last time?"

"Oh, that was wonderful. But that kind of thing is likely not best for the first time," Hilarion added, for Alexios, and he was explaining so earnestly that Alexios did not feel offended or ashamed not to know any of it. "I'll be -- we'll be -- gentle with you. It is just as good, either way."

The thought of Hilarion with him, gentle or rough, sent a thrill all through him.

Hilarion turned away a little, then, and bent his head down a bit to kiss Lucinna. Alexios thought privately that it did not look quite like the kiss Hilarion had given him, in terms of matching the grand feeling of it, but the two of them seemed to be enjoying it anyway. He watched, enthralled, as Hilarion slid one hand down, across Lucinna's breast, caressing her with nimble, confident fingers, and she moaned.

When Hilarion pulled away again, his grin was even wider, more cheerful, and his mouth was wet and dark, his eyes wider. "Many women like if you do that to them as you kiss them."

"Hilarion likes if you do the same thing to him, too," Lucinna confided, in a voice that only pretended to be telling a secret. "More than many men do."

Alexios thought of touching Hilarion -- anywhere, really -- and shuddered happily again.

The two of them kissed again, lazily, and under the furs Alexios rubbed at himself, a little, pleasantly, and then watched in open-mouthed awe as Hilarion stepped back to take his clothes off. The weapons came off first, of course, then the tunic. He had seen Hilarion's body before, naturally -- you could hardly avoid doing so, in the army -- and, as with everyone else, it was a thing he had stopped paying attention to. Unremarkable. Or so it had seemed to Alexios, then. 

Now he was wondering why he had never noticed before how the freckles on Hilarion's face were spread over his pale shoulders too, charming and intriguing both. Hilarion was built narrow as he himself was, but taller, and his lean body was hardly awkward; he held himself as he always did, with an easy grace and confidence. He saw Alexios looking, and his smile was inviting.

"Like what you see, eh?"

Alexios could only nod.

He undid his breeches and pushed them off, and then Alexios truly could not stop staring, and it was even better because it was all right to look, because Hilarion wanted him to. Hilarion was as long there as he was everywhere else, thick and dark with blood, and he wanted-- he wanted to do to Hilarion what Hilarion was already doing, Hilarion who was taking himself in hand, stroking himself lightly, smiling.

There was a hesitant look in his eyes, as if he feared just the smallest amount that Alexios might not like the sight of him, but it disappeared as he met Alexios' enraptured gaze.

Hilarion turned back to Lucinna, then, and as Alexios watched, their kisses became less lazy, more urgent. Hilarion had a hand between her legs and she sighed, rocking up into his fingers; he, for his part, seemed to be rubbing himself up against Lucinna's hip, to judge by the quick, small motions he made with his own body, moaning, and damn them, but Alexios could not see enough--

At some point Alexios must have kicked the furs off himself, because he was surprised to see, glancing down, that he was as hard as Hilarion was, thrusting up into his own fingers without any conscious thought on his part, and he wanted to watch them-- oh, he wanted to watch-- oh, he was so close--

Panting, he slowed his hand on himself as an inarticulate groan of frustration left his lips.

Hilarion pulled back from Lucinna, and when he saw Alexios his eyes went even darker, and Alexios could tell exactly where he was looking. "Oh, _very_ nice," he murmured, in a low voice Alexios had never heard him use before, that sent more heat through his body.

Alexios found himself smiling. "Thank you."

"What do you think?" asked Hilarion, and he looked over at Lucinna for confirmation. "Ready for us?"

He had thought Hilarion would take his turn with Lucinna first, but even the barest picture of that in his mind made him whimper with need, and it was very likely that if they went first Alexios would have no turn of his own left to take.

"I think if I wait any longer, with you two as you are," he managed to say, "you might miss your chance."

There was a knowing laugh from Lucinna, but the reply was Hilarion's. "I'm flattered."

"Then come here."

Saying it, even though it was something he knew he wanted now, was different from doing it, and Alexios started to feel strange, overwhelmed again, as Hilarion and Lucinna approached him. It was all too new, and what if he gave a poor showing of himself? What if they thought badly of him? What if he made unpleasant noises, or faces, or--?

But then Hilarion reached for him, ran a warm hand across his chest, and he seemed to know what Alexios was thinking, because that rare gentleness was again in his hands, in his voice, and he touched Alexios as though he feared he could break him with one too-quick motion.

"Shh, Alexios," he whispered. "It is easy, if you want this. Do you still?"

"I do," said Alexios, and he barely heard his own words over the crackle of the fire, but it was enough. It was all right. Hilarion had him.

"Then it is well." Hilarion kissed him, lightly. "Relax. Let it happen."

Alexios smiled and gave himself up. 

Hilarion kissed him again and again, slowly, carefully, and Alexios could think of nothing but the sensation; he was liking it enough now, beginning to kiss Hilarion back. There was the heat where Hilarion was against him, and the warmth of the fire's heat on his skin where Hilarion was not. Lucinna had a hand on his hip, a pleasant firm presence, and she was saying words he could not quite hear, but the tone was soothing. He felt as though he was floating, drifting along on warmth and light, and there was nothing to do but let the current carry him where it would.

Then it changed again, desire kindling hotter within Alexios, as someone -- he was not sure which of them it was -- wrapped a hand around his cock. He moaned and thrust up, trying to arch his hips into it. He could almost, almost-- and then the hand was gone.

"Ready, then?" That was Lucinna.

Hilarion's voice had an undertone of concern. "On his back, then. His arm, careful, careful!"

Alexios, his eyes still closed, let them handle him, let them push him onto his back. Hilarion was still kissing him, and he was perfectly content to lie there, only to feel this.

"Psst," Hilarion breathed. "Open your eyes, Alexios."

So he did, and Lucinna sank down upon him, until he was buried deep inside her, warm and wet and so different from the feel of his own lonely hand, and oh--

Hilarion was staring at his face and grinning and grinning, as if he had been wanting to know how Alexios would appear at this very moment. "Good?" he asked, and at this moment Alexios was willing to forgive him for the tone of utter smugness. He was willing to forgive anyone anything.

"I-- yes, oh, yes," he gasped out. "Lucinna, this-- you--"

Above him, Lucinna smiled and somehow squeezed him tighter, within herself, and he gasped again at the feel of it.

"You're, mmm, very nice yourself," she returned, still smiling.

"I'll let you fuck me later," Hilarion told him, cheerfully. "You can compare."

The thought of that, that on top of everything else, made Alexios shudder and struggle for control. He was going to last longer than a few quick thrusts, he was, he was--

"Hilarion," he gritted out. "You can't _say_ things like that, you'll make me--"

"That's the point," Hilarion said, his voice low and full of a kind of wonderful wickedness.

He shook his head. "I can't just-- not yet-- I can't--"

"Oh, I think you can," Hilarion retorted, in that same low tone. "What do you say, Lucinna?"

In answer, Lucinna braced herself on the bed and ground down upon him, a heavy, delicious friction together with the intriguing view. Then Hilarion was kissing him, strong and insistent, and Hilarion's tongue was in his mouth and he was in Lucinna, and it was all right, and they both wanted him to--

Hilarion's hand drifted across his chest and pinched at a nipple just as he thrust up into Lucinna, once, twice, and as Hilarion kissed him again the sensation all rose up inside him, almost too much, but then it was just right, and he was groaning and spending himself and Hilarion was still kissing him and it was all perfect.

He was not certain of what happened after that, as he lay in sated bliss. Hilarion was kissing him still, he knew that, was murmuring things, and at some point Lucinna rose off him, left and came back with a cloth and water. Hilarion's kisses were still urgent, needy; after all, he had not come yet.

He awoke fully because it was colder; Lucinna was pulling a few furs off him, settling them on the rushes of the floor next to him, by the fire, and his still-clouded mind could not understand why.

"No, don't get up," she said, putting out a restraining arm, and he relaxed back with no protest. "Hilarion and I will hardly be in your way."

He wondered if it should bother him that they were still doing this; another might call it odd that he and Hilarion, having now found a longing for each other, had not merely left Lucinna for the evening and gone to entertain themselves alone. But it did not bother Alexios. Hilarion seemed not to have a jealous bone in his body, and would love him all the same. They would have time enough for the two of them afterwards.

Besides, this way he could keep watching.

"I'll be quick," said Hilarion, brightly. "I found earlier events very, shall we say, motivational."

Lucinna smiled. "You should bring your friends more often."

"Ah, but where are my manners?" he asked, in his usual mocking way that made Alexios grin to see it. "We have hardly pleased you," he added, and then he pulled Lucinna to the furs.

He was doing something with his hands -- Alexios could not quite tell what -- but after a short while Lucinna trembled and arched up, very quietly, her skin flushing red, and then she held Hilarion close.

"Now," she panted out, "come on, now, Hilarion."

And as Alexios stared, feeling arousal stir within him again, he watched Lucinna on her back, open, inviting, as Hilarion slid into her in one hard stroke. He was not unkind, but he moved heavy and quick within her, and she moaned and rose to meet him with every stroke. Alexios could see him working, moving with every thrust, and what would it be like if Hilarion were in him, or he in Hilarion? How would that feel?

He was half-hard again, to his surprise, and he ran a gentle fingertip down the length of himself. His first impulse was to suppress the sound he wanted to make, but then-- no. Let them listen.

Hilarion turned his head at that, and, oh, if that was how Alexios' face had looked, he could see why he had pleased Hilarion, for he was most appealing indeed. He gave a huge, lazy smile and his pale eyes were all dark now with want. His fine straight hair was plastered to his forehead now with sweat, and he gave a sharp gasp, an indrawn breath--

"Ah, yes--"

And then his hips snapped forward harder, deeper, and Alexios tried to fix this moment in his memory as Hilarion moaned and shuddered in Lucinna's arms.

"See?" came a very pleased mumble. "Motivational."

"Come back any time," added Lucinna, indistinctly, as she was no doubt half-smothered. The men always said that the women of the town lied about their pleasures, but he did not think she was.

And Alexios couldn't help himself; he started laughing. A moment later, Hilarion joined in.

* * *

The three of them bided by the fire a little longer, and then eventually, still laughing, they slid back into their clothes. Hilarion flipped Lucinna an extra coin that even Alexios could tell did not have the dull sheen of bronze; he wondered what he had paid.

And then, outside, it changed again between them, for the worse. In the dark, in the cold, the wind whipped past them and they were only two fellow-soldiers walking together, in the real world and not the wondrous dream that only existed inside Lucinna's hut.

Hilarion was silent and did not offer him an arm.

What had they done? What had they done? Had it been wrong? No, Alexios decided, no, it could not have. It was right and good, and here was Hilarion who had kissed him, who had told him he desired him, who had offered him--

Why did he say nothing?

They reached the fort and still Hilarion said nothing.

They reached the corridor where Alexios' room was. Nothing.

They stopped. Here was where they should part ways, for Hilarion was billeted elsewhere.

Torchlight flickered, and Alexios finally saw Hilarion's face, and the tension all across it. He was afraid, Alexios realized. Here was Hilarion, always so calm, so collected, and he was afraid. He was afraid Alexios did not care for him in return. Could it be that simple?

He had to say something.

Hilarion opened his mouth, and from the awful look on his face Alexios knew it was going to be something not at all funny.

So Alexios stepped in close, not knowing what he should say, only knowing that he had to, and that strange new desire bloomed within him, and he spoke.

"Come to bed with me."

Hilarion stopped, and his eyes widened. "Well," he said, chuckling, "that's much better than what I was going to say."

Alexios held out his hand.

As it turned out, it was that simple.

* * *

Alexios led the way.

When they were in his room, it was Hilarion who pushed him up against the wall, Hilarion who clung to him, desperately, kissing him over and over, as wanton as if the entire evening had not happened.

They were trying to be quiet -- though, honestly, it wouldn't be worse than anything anyone already said about the Frontier Wolves, if they were found out -- and so Alexios moaned against Hilarion's shoulder to muffle the sound, against Hilarion's neck, but by the time Hilarion nibbled on his ear he was probably loud enough to entertain the entire corridor. He didn't care.

"Why did you never tell me?" he gasped into Hilarion's mouth, between kisses.

Hilarion chuckled in the dark. "Didn't seem relevant."

"Relevant?" He echoed the word back; comprehension was beginning to escape him as Hilarion worked at the fastenings of his breeches with his long clever fingers, stroking him through the wool.

"What should I have told you?" he murmured. "I'm your centenarius, you can trust me, and, oh, I like you very much, would you mind if I sucked your cock?"

"Ah-- mmm--" Hilarion had him in hand now, and he couldn't think anymore. He absolutely could not.

"I thought I was obvious enough for a blind man," Hilarion said. "And I thought you didn't want me." And now somehow he had himself free from his breeches, and he had them both in his hand, and ah, _that_ , yes, that right there--

Alexios moaned and pushed insistently against him, working his hand between them as well, to help, to touch, to do anything. "Your commander," he panted, "is an idiot sometimes."

"I'll be quoting you on that, sir," Hilarion said, and then he gasped and trembled and came over Alexios' hand.

With a few more strokes Alexios followed, crying out and gripping Hilarion tight, and it was wonderful, everything was wonderful.

* * *

When the morning trumpets rang out, Alexios awoke groggy and disoriented to find that he smelled of wine and sex, and that Hilarion was sprawled across his already too-small bed with an elbow jabbing awkwardly at Alexios' throat. Furthermore, Alexios was deliriously happy.

Hilarion opened one eye, then the other, then squinted. "Morning, sir."

Alexios raised an eyebrow. "You're naked, you're in my bed, and you're going to call me sir?"

Hilarion gave a shrug, and Alexios was distracted by watching the way he moved, the easy fluidity of it, and he felt a little flare of desire in him again; it was like having another sense to see the world with. He liked it. It certainly opened up... possibilities.

Hilarion smirked. "Whatever you say, sir."

"No," Alexios told him.

"This is an excellent idea." Hilarion sounded almost contemplative. "It'll make morning-muster easier."

"Oh?"

"Your centenarius," Hilarion informed him, "is present and ready to carry out all duties." And then he laughed at his own joke until Alexios cracked a smile.

"What duties did you have in mind?"

"The best ones," said Hilarion, and tackled him to the bed.

They were late to morning-muster. It was well worth it.


End file.
